LONE STARLONE STAR
Fabric:
Three decisions must be made prior to starting your quilt:
Colors and color placement within the star,
The number of small diamonds you’ll use within each star point, and
The dimensions of each small diamond, dictating the size of strips you will cut.
Lone Star is a large eight-pointed star, which comprises the largest portion of the quilt’s surface. Each of the star points is a large diamond made up of smaller diamonds. Use the figure on the next page (a single star point) to decide the number of small diamonds, colors, and color placement that you will use for your lone star. This will determine how many fabrics you will be using, and be used as a reference when piecing your lone star.
As you think about color placement, consider the effect you want and the fabric you will use for the background. Your star fabrics, and background fabric should have enough contrast that the star points stand out against the background (either light or dark background fabrics will work). Also, if the center of your star is similar to the background fabric your star can look as if it has a hole in the center.
Your color decisions will also involve fabric decisions. Sharp contrast in the fabrics will create a starburst like effect. Fabrics with little contrast will give more of a watercolor effect. Solid colors will result in a bold star with clearly differentiated individual diamonds.
As with any quilt, be aware of the scale and texture of the fabrics that you choose; variety creates interest. Be careful not to over-coordinate your fabrics.
Avoid stripes in your first lone star quilt.
Fabric will be cut into strips, so you need yardage from selvedge to selvedge. Fabric amounts vary depending on the size of the finished quilt that you want, the number of diamonds that make up each star point, and the size of each small diamond. In the figure below, the most traditional color placement is to have rows a, b, c…up to row v (the tip of the star point), repeat in the same, or reverse order on the other side of row v (the center of the star). You may wish to use a larger variety of fabrics, however, each row must be composed of the same color diamonds.
Extra fabric is needed for any borders that you decide to add. Remember, to make a bed sized quilt you will need to add larger borders to the top and/or bottom of the quilt. One option is to add a border consisting of a row of smaller stars above the central lone star design.
We will spend time in class on fabric selection, so if you are unsure of which fabrics to use…bring all of the possible choices. You can’t have too much fabric!
Bring fabric that is prepared to work with. Which means, pre-wash if you are going to pre-wash (sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t). Either way, press the fabric, and re-fold with the selvedge edges together, so that the folded edge is also even (no bunches).
Other Supplies:
Carol Fay
1417 Camino Rio Verde
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 683-4765
www.carolfayquilts.com